Colorado Plumbing Licenses – What You Need To Know
Each state has its own laws that regulate licenses for skilled trades like Plumbing. In Colorado, plumbing training, exams, and licensing are overseen by the Colorado State Plumbing Board.
This page is a guide that explains the various levels of training required to become a plumber, and the requirements for each level of plumbing license.
Who needs a plumbing license in Colorado?
If you want to work as a plumber, you must have a license in Colorado. People who just want to make a few small plumbing fixes on their own homes don’t need to, but anybody who wants to be employed or start their own business as a plumber must be licensed.
Who provides licenses to plumbers?
In Colorado, plumbing licenses are regulated by the Department of Regulatory Agencies, or DORA. Every licensed plumber in the state is given a license number, which can be looked up and verified online on the DORA professional license search tool.
What are the different levels of plumbing licenses in Colorado?
While every state in the USA has a different way of licensing plumbers, Colorado has three different levels, and each requires a minimum number of hours on the job, in addition to other requirements. To start in the plumbing field, everyone begins as an apprentice. This requires registering as an apprentice with DORA within 30 days of starting work, which costs $30. While working as an apprentice, you’ll start accruing the required on-the-job hours which will count toward earning your licenses. All plumbing apprentices must be directly supervised by a licensed Colorado plumber. The requirements for each level of plumbing license is as follows:
Level 1: Residential Plumber
- Must be US Citizen and have valid Social Security number
- Must have two years or 3,400 hours of practical experience
- License fee: $100
- Exam: $75 fee, 110 questions, 4.5 hours allowed, must score at least 70% in order to pass
Level 2: Journeyman Plumber
- Must be US Citizen and have valid Social Security number
- Must have four years or 6,800 hours of practical experience
- Must submit Affidavit of Experience to DORA
- License fee: $120
- Exam: $75 fee, 110 questions, 4.5 hours allowed, must score at least 70% in order to pass
Level 3: Master Plumber
- Must be US Citizen and have valid Social Security number
- Must have five years, or 8,500 hours of practical experience
- Must submit Affidavit of Experience to DORA
- License fee: $140
- Exam: $75 fee, 130 questions, 5 hours allowed, must score at least 70% in order to pass
Note: just passing an examination is not a guarantee of licensure. You must still demonstrate that you meet minimum qualifications for licensure according to standards set by Colorado law.
Do I need to join a union in Colorado in order to be a plumber?
Colorado is a modified right-to-work state which can be hard to understand, since it’s the only state in the country with the kind of laws it has which govern unionization. However, as a plumber, what it essentially means to you is that you may either work for a union or not. It depends on whether your employer has a union or not. Colorado has many plumbing companies that are union shops, and many that are not. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, 8.2% of wage and salary workers in the State of Colorado were represented by a union.
Once I get my license, how long is it good for? When do I have to renew it?
All plumbing contractor licenses expire on the last day of February of odd-numbered years. That means no matter when you received your license, you’ll need to renew it in February of 2021, 2023, 2025, 2027, 2029, etc.
Do plumbers in Colorado need any continuing education?
Yes! In 2019, a new law, HB 19-1086, was passed for the first time ever which now requires all licensed Residential, Journeyman, and Master Plumbers to complete eight (8) hours of Continuing Education (CE) every twelve months in order to renew a license. This requirement came into force on May 1, 2021.
Continuing Education must be provided by an attested provider and be listed with the Colorado State Plumbing Board. Plumb-Tech Trade School is an attested provider and has passed the State’s requirements for providing continuing education.
Where can I find continuing education in order to renew my license?
Plumb-Tech Trade School offers a one day, 8-hour course on Saturdays where you can get all of your CEUs (continuing education units) in one weekend. View our continuing education class schedule and sign up for a class that works for you.
How can I get help preparing for the Colorado license exams?
Great news: Plumb-Tech Trade School has just introduced a new test preparation class for this very purpose! Check out our test prep class schedule and find an evening that works for you. We will be adding more classes over time, so contact us if you are interested in a test prep class you don’t see offered yet, or check back again in the future.
I have more questions about Colorado plumbing licensing: how can I get help?
If you have questions about how the licensing process works, you can contact the Colorado State Plumbing Board, the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), or simply contact Plumb-Tech Trade School. Just call 719-284-2788 or contact us online. We’ll see what we can do to assist you.